In the operation of battery powered automobiles or vehicles, range, acceleration and speed have been limited by the ability of the battery to supply the necessary current over prolonged periods of time without requiring recharge.
Moreover, high current drain on the battery during acceleration from a stopped condition or to higher speeds under highway conditions are detrimental to the longevity of the battery.
The typical electric battery functions best and has greatest useful life when energy is discharged or stored at constant, relative low current levels, as is well known.
In POPULAR SCIENCE, October 1980, page 82, et seq., there is disclosed a battery powered, gear driven electric car in which a flywheel is used to power the car from stopped conditions, and the flywheel is energized during braking of the car. The purpose is to reduce battery abuse caused by the typical driving cycle in normal urban use, that is, start, accelerate, stop, and restart. However, that electric car utilizes a mechanical transmission of power from the flywheel and the drive motors to the vehicle drive wheels, inherently utilizing, or wasting energy.
Gyroscopic effects of a rapidly rotating flywheel on a horizontal axis normal to the longitudinal center of the car must be overcome.